About 35 people were in the audience for Raymond Lion’s Club Meet the Candidates Night at Jordan Small Middle School on Monday. The event was a chance for voters to ask questions in preparation for May 20’s election.

Candidates running for Board of Selectmen, School Board, and Budget Committee were invited to answer questions from the voters in an amicable, town meeting format.

Bob Jones once again moderated the event, which he believed to be the 11th or 12th offered by the Lions. He began by asking each of the candidates for a three-minute opening statement with the order being pre-determined.

The four candidates for Select Board were the first to speak, beginning with Christine McClellan. McClellan, a 23-year Raymond resident, is running for a second three-year term. She expressed her concern about budgetary issues and other challenges created by the community’s growth: “…If there’s one thing that’s apparent from the community members, it’s that they didn’t want to see Raymond change…One of the things that I feel is most important is to implement that Comprehensive Plan…”

Ada Brown followed McClellan. Brown is also a current Select Board member and previously served 10 years in the legislature. Brown cited a number of improvements in the town during her years on the Board: “I was very instrumental in the building of the public safety building…I think we have happier employees at the town office…I think they’re more equal with school employees and I think that’s a very important issue. We put the water line in and we’ve extended it to the public safety building…”

Next to speak was former Selectman Dana Desjardins. He expressed his desire to see more consolidation of services. In addition, he said, “I see us moving in the right direction as far as growth, as far as land use. We have a very proactive Planning Board…It’s a lot of work…”

Lawrence (Lonnie) Taylor was the last of the Select Board candidates. Taylor grew up in Raymond and currently has children in the town’s schools. He agreed with the idea of consolidation and emphasized the need to keep Raymond affordable for all citizens. He also stressed the importance of caring for the town’s natural resources: “I…support maintaining open spaces [and] protecting our waterways.”

Next, it was the School Board candidates’ turn. Frank McDermott had a prior commitment but issued a statement read by Bob Jones. McDermott warned of the danger of doing what has always been done. “If cuts are not made, everybody is happy with the exception of the taxpayer.” Referring to the special education program, he said he supports the cuts made by the board while realizing that, for some, “nothing but complete restoration of all the cuts will be good enough.” He feels that, “the greatest challenge that the community faces over the next few years will center on its school system.”

Following McDermott was Mary Guiseley. She is concerned with what she terms an “unsettling transition in the school district…I have heard repeatedly members of the community…ask that changes occur or not occur only to fall on deaf ears.” She is also disturbed by the cuts in special education and feels her experience as mother to a daughter with multiple disabilities places her in a position to advocate for reinstatement of the positions cut from the special education program.

Roger Ginn spoke next. He had made up his mind that “when the kids get done playing sports it was time to start giving back to the community.” He feels that his years of experience as a psychologist, a school consultant, as well as his work in testing and assessment and background in special education furnish him with the training and perspective he needs to give back by becoming a School Board member.

Jeraldine Keane, a member of the School Board for over five years, is also a psychologist. She spoke about the school district’s committed staff and teachers. She sees future issues as being “Essential Schools and Programs, property taxes, and…alternative funding for the things we want to have in our schools…”

Teresa Sadak is running for School Board because she feels “there are changes that need to be made in order to get the school system back to where it should be, that is, the main focus should be on the children.” She also expressed her frustration of “going to a board meeting and getting shut down with a concern that you have.” She went on to say that, “as taxpayers and parents, we have a right to know what is going on in our school system and what the money is being spent on.”

Rounding out the opening statements were the candidates for the Budget/Finance Committee. Candidate Tucker Cole was unable to attend. His opening remarks were read by current Board of Selectmen member Mark Gendron. “I am excited about Raymond’s future and wish to be an integral part of its budget-planning process. I feel my experience in financial services gives me the technical skills needed for the Budget Committee but more importantly, the customer service experience to represent the interests of the majority of the Raymond residents.”

Rolf Olsen spoke next. He believes Raymond is “faced with a number of big challenges, the first being what the state is going to end up doing with LD1 and how that is going to affect both the school financing side as well as what level is going to be put on the town as allowable.” He also stressed the importance of working on the “One Raymond” mini-regionalization concept.

Ralph Bartholomew was not present at the meeting. Although he had no prepared statement, Bob Jones stated that Bartholomew has 15 or 18 years experience on the Budget Committee.

Following the candidates’ opening statements, questions were taken from the floor. The first question, directed to the Select Board, was, “Where do you see the town going tax-wise?’

McClellan was “in favor of keeping taxes as low as possible” but wants people to keep in mind that there are two major capital improvements coming up – the Town Office and the Library.

Brown feels it’s important to have equalization of taxes all over town. She added, “I believe in everybody being treated alike.”

Desjardins wants to see the revaluation implemented quickly. He has some specific ideas for saving money, such as using co-ops to purchase food for the schools. “Just on milk alone,” he said, “Lakes Region High School saved $16,000.”

Taylor was asked to “address specific areas where the “One Raymond” concept could be implemented to save taxpayers’ money or to improve benefits.” He replied that, although he isn’t fully aware of what the “One Raymond” concept is, that he learns quickly and would be sure to find a way to give input.

The next question asked was, “Although the school population has not increased in the last 15 years, the budget has doubled. What are the candidates proposing to do to hold the budget in line and yet still provide the services needed for the students?”

While Sadak feels there’s a lot in the school budget that can be cut, Keane disagrees. She also added that the school population has increased by about 100 students.

Candidates were next asked about their feelings on regionalization. Ginn expressed concerns about this country’s students’ declining ability to keep up with students from other countries, especially in the areas of science and math. He added, “Regionalization is the wave of the future. The trick is how to implement it – state-wide or just locally.”

After voters’ questions, Jones invited each candidate to give brief closing remarks.

The video of this meeting will be broadcast multiple times on Channel 3 over the next few weeks. Residents can check the Web site for dates and times. Elections will be held on Friday, May 20.

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